Multipurpose Optical Signalling Device, Particularly for Road Emergency in Low Visibility Conditions

ABSTRACT

A multi-purpose visual signaling device, particularly for road emergency warning and in low visibility conditions, comprises light-emitting means ( 3 ) for generating a light beam ( 4 ) and means ( 5 ) for supplying power to light-emitting means ( 3 ). The light-emitting means ( 3 ) include at least one laser projector ( 6 ) adapted to project images ( 7 ) over a substantially flat surface for such images to be visible from a relatively long distance. The light-emitting means ( 3 ) and the power supply means ( 5 ) are mounted to a stationary support structure ( 2 ) which may include a front warning triangle-defining portion ( 12 ). The laser projector ( 6 ) comprises at least one laser diode ( 8 ) and optical and/or electronic means ( 9 ) for generating images ( 7 ) in space or over a substantially flat surface. The optical and/or electronic means ( 9 ) comprise a diffractive lens ( 10 ). Images ( 7 ) include monochromatic, polychromatic and/or holographic images, possibly of variable configuration, and preferably form a triangular design.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention finds application in the field of road safety and particularly relates to a multi-purpose visual signaling device.

More particularly, the invention relates to a visual signaling device for road emergency warning, which may be carried aboard a car or similar vehicle, and may be used to signal the presence of the vehicle or the person carried thereby to prevent accidents, especially in low visibility conditions.

BACKGROUND ART

Fixed obstacles on the road, such as tollgates, roadwork sites, accidented vehicles, road maintenance workers, have various devices designed to make them easily visible, especially in the dark or in particular environmental conditions, such as fog, snow or rain.

Currently available equipments essentially consist of active or passive visual devices, such as signaling lights, reflex reflectors, warning triangles.

In particularly low visibility conditions, these equipments may be insufficient, whereby the road user is exposed to serious risks of accidents.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,104 discloses and claims a warning triangle device, having retroreflective and fluorescent arms, which increase visibility thereof when lit up.

This prior art arrangement has the drawback that the effectiveness of retroreflective material is dependent on the intensity of the light source that lights it up. In case of low visibility, such as in fog conditions, the light source, e.g. the headlights of an approaching vehicle is partly attenuated, and so is the reflected signal. The light beam passes through the light-emitting means twice, i.e. from the approaching vehicle to the reflective material and from the reflective material to the observer.

A further advantage of this device is that, in low visibility conditions caused by fog, if the approaching vehicle uses upper beams, the light reflected by the fog causes an excessive diffused lighting which may dazzle the driver. However, if the driver properly uses fog-guards, which are normally downwardly and sideways directed, the warning triangle is seen at the last moment.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,028 discloses a safety triangle which has, in addition to a retroreflective surface, an inner portion with red or yellow light sources. This device uses the power of the car battery, through a DC connector to be connected to the cigarette-lighter socket.

In addition to the disadvantages as set out above, such prior art device has the drawback that it has to be placed on the vehicle, e.g. on the roof, due to the power supply arrangement, to provide a signal that is eventually untimely, especially in low visibility conditions.

An additional shortcoming of this triangle is that, in case of a long stay, it may discharge the car battery, thereby causing serious damages thereto.

From U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,584, a safety device is known, whereto blinking lights are mounted which produce a rapid pattern of short light pulses, followed by a more or less long pause.

This prior art arrangement has the drawback of dazzling the driver, the light source having a very high intensity. Furthermore, it has a very complex light control arrangement, which requires a high battery power absorption, whereby batteries tend to discharge rapidly, which makes the device unusable in case of long stays.

Other emergency warning devices are known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,876, EP-B1-089852, EP-B1-0691243.

These devices are also of little use, especially in low visibility conditions, as they generate a very low-intensity light beam.

Generally, all the above prior art arrangements have the drawback that, to provide an effective emergency warning signal, the user has to place the device at a very short distance from the stopped or disabled vehicle, as prescribed by applicable rules, and is thereby exposed to danger.

The French patent FR-A-2,816,264 discloses a visual signaling device mounted to a vehicle, which is based on the use of laser beam projection, providing effective visibility properties in low visibility conditions.

However, no attempt has been made heretofore to use a laser light source on a fixed signaling device like a warning triangle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention is to overcome the above drawbacks, while providing a multi-purpose emergency warning device that is practical, cost-effective and most of all efficient.

A particular object is to provide a signaling device that is also visible in poor light conditions, such as at night or by rain, fog, snow or hail conditions.

A further object is to provide a signal that is visible from long distances, to allow oncoming drivers to perceive the danger well before reaching the position where the signal has been placed.

One more object is to provide a device that allows to orient the light beam toward oncoming vehicles, even in extreme conditions, such as in curves.

Another object is to provide a signal that requires a low power supply, while providing good visibility of the light source, so that no problems occur in case of long stays.

Furthermore, a particular object of this invention is to provide a signal that, although it is used very near the stopped vehicle, is capable of signaling the vehicle from a suitable distance to prevent the user from dangerously passing beyond the edge of the road.

Another object is to provide a signal that the user may orient toward the approaching traffic, regardless of the position of the stopped vehicle and the conformation of the road.

Finally, an object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that may be used in any condition.

These objects, as well as other objects that will be more apparent hereafter, are achieved by a multi-purpose visual signaling device, particularly for road use and in low visibility conditions, which comprises light-emitting means for generating a light beam and means for supplying power to said light-emitting means, characterized in that these light-emitting means comprise at least one laser projector adapted to project images visible from a relatively long distance, such as a warning triangle design.

Preferably, the laser projector comprises at least one laser diode and optical and/or electronic means for generating images in space or over a substantially flat surface.

The light-emitting means and the power supply means may be mounted to a stationary support structure, which may stand on the ground or be attached to a car or a stationary structure.

Advantageously, the support structure may include a base, with a box-like housing having a substantially U-shaped cross-section, adapted to receive the power supply means and the laser projector.

The support structure may have a front portion that defines a warning triangle, to be attached to the base. By this particular arrangement, the apparatus of the invention allows to signal the danger deriving from an obstacle on the roadway in a simple, safe and timely manner, particularly in low visibility conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the detailed description of one preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention, which is described as a non-limiting example with the help of the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a detail of the apparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a detail of the apparatus of the invention in operating conditions;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a detail of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the above mentioned figures, the multi-purpose visual device according to the invention, particularly intended for road use in low visibility conditions, is generally denoted by numeral 1.

The device 1 comprises a support structure 2, which may stand on the ground, with light-emitting means 3 for generating a light beam 4 and means 5 for supplying power to the light-emitting means 3 being removably mounted thereto.

Particularly, such means include at least one laser projector 6 adapted to project images 7 over a substantially flat surface for such images to be visible from a relatively long distance.

Conveniently, the laser projector 6 may include a laser diode 8.

The laser projector 6 may further comprise optical and/or electronic means 9 for generating one or more images 7 in space or over a substantially flat surface, such as the roadway.

The optical and/or electronic means 9 may be selected among: lenses, prisms, mirrors, LCD electron mirrors, micromirrors.

Advantageously, the optical and/or electronic means 9 may comprise at least one diffractive lens 10. Particularly, the diffractive lens 10 may be at a distance L of 10 mm to 100 mm, preferably of about 45 mm, from the laser diode 8.

Also, the optical and/or electronic means 9 may comprise an electronic card 11 between the power supply means 5 and the laser diode 8.

The images 7 provided by the laser projector 6 and the optical and/or electronic means 9 may include monochromatic, polychromatic and/or holographic images, which may be stationary or have a variable configuration. They may also include alphanumeric characters.

In a preferred embodiment, as shown in the figures, the image 7 may form a triangular design, to reproduce the triangular danger signal at a certain distance from the light source.

The support structure 2 may have a front portion 12 that defines a warning triangle, to be attached to a base 13.

Particularly, the latter may include a box-like housing 14, having a substantially U-shaped cross-section, adapted to receive the power supply means 5 and the laser projector 6.

Advantageously, the box-like housing 14 may have a rear portion adapted to be held by a user, to allow use thereof as a portable signal.

Possibly, the box-like housing 14 may be equipped with suitable attachment means, such as permanent magnets or clamps, not shown, for attachment to the roof or body of a car or other stationary structures.

For images 7 to be projected toward the oncoming traffic at a predetermined distance D from the base 13, the laser projector 3 will be attached to the support structure 2 by adjustable tilt means 15. The latter also prevent the beam 4 from dazzling the drivers of oncoming vehicles.

Particularly, the distance D may be of 10 m to 250 m, and is preferably of approximately 150 m.

The adjustable tilt means 15 may include a knuckle joint 16 that may be selectively locked in a plurality of angular positions.

The power supply means 5 may comprise at least one battery 17 connected to said laser projector 6 by means of electrical conductors 18.

The above disclosure shows that the inventive device fulfils the above objects, and namely provides well visible emergency warning signals, particularly under low visibility conditions, at a relatively long distance from the position in which the device is placed.

Thanks to the use of the laser projector 6 to project a light beam 4 from a certain distance, timely, effective, safe and long-lasting signals may be provided.

The device of this invention is susceptible to a number of changes and variants, within the inventive concept disclosed in the appended claims.

All the details thereof may be replaced by other technically equivalent parts, and the materials may vary depending on different needs, without departure from the scope of the invention.

While the device has been described with particular reference to the accompanying figures, the numerals referred to in the disclosure and claims are only used for the sake of a better intelligibility of the invention and shall not be intended to limit the claimed scope in any manner. 

1. A multi-purpose visual signaling device, particularly for road emergency warning in low visibility conditions, comprising light-emitting means (3) for generating a light beam (4) and power supply means 5) for supplying said light-emitting means (3), characterized in that said light-emitting means (3) include at least one laser projector (6) adapted to project one or more images (7) that are visible from a relatively long distance.
 2. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said laser projector (6) comprises at least one laser diode (8).
 3. Device as claimed in claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said laser projector (6) comprises optical and/or electronic means (9) for generating said images (7) other in open space or over a substantially flat surface.
 4. Device as claimed in the preceding claim, characterized in said optical and/or electronic means (9) are chosen among the group comprising: lenses, prisms, mirrors, LCD electron mirrors, micromirrors.
 5. Device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in said optical and/or electronic means (9) comprise at least one diffractive lens (10).
 6. Device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said diffractive lens (10) is spaced from said laser diode (8) by a distance (L) of 10 mm to 100 mm, preferably of about 45 mm.
 7. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said images (7) include monochromatic, polychromatic and/or holographic images, optionally having a variable configuration.
 8. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said images (7) comprise a triangular design.
 9. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said images (7) comprise alphanumeric characters.
 10. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said light-emitting means (3) and said power supply means (5) are mounted to a stationary support structure (2), positionable on the ground or securable to a car or a stationary structure.
 11. Device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that said support structure (2) includes a base (13), with a box-like housing (14) having a substantially U-shaped cross-section, adapted to receive said power supply means (5) and said laser projector (6).
 12. Device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that said support structure (2) has a front portion (12) that defines a warning triangle to be attached to said base (13).
 13. Device as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that said box-like housing (14) has a rear portion adapted to be held by a user, for use thereof as a portable signal.
 14. Device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in said optical and/or electronic means (9) comprise an electronic card (11) interposed between said power supply means (5) and said at least one laser diode (8).
 15. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said laser projector (3) is secured to said support structure (2) by adjustable tilting means (15) allowing to project said images (7) parallel to the roadway at a predetermined distance (D) therefrom, in such a manner as to prevent the beam (4) from directly hitting the sight of the drivers of oncoming vehicles.
 16. Device as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that said predetermined distance (D) is of 10 m to 250 m and is preferably of about 150 m.
 17. Device as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that said adjustable tilting means (15) include an articulated joint (16) that may be selectively locked in a plurality of angular positions.
 18. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said power supply means (5) comprise at least one battery (17) connected to said laser projector (6) by means of electrical leads (18). 